Feline Visceral Hemangiosarcoma

• Published in: Journal of veterinary internal medicine 2008, Vol.22 (1), p.148-152
• Main Authors: Culp, W.T.N, Drobatz, K.J, Glassman, M.M, Baez, J.L, Aronson, L.R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Cat; Cat Diseases - blood; Cat Diseases - drug therapy; Cats; Female; hemangiosarcoma; Hemangiosarcoma - blood; Hemangiosarcoma - drug therapy; Hemangiosarcoma - veterinary; Intestinal Neoplasms - blood; Intestinal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Intestinal Neoplasms - veterinary; Liver Neoplasms - blood; Liver Neoplasms - drug therapy; Liver Neoplasms - veterinary; Male; Malignant; Neoplasia; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0891-6640; 1939-1676
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0022.x

Background: Feline visceral hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is an uncommon tumor, and the clinical progression and outcome are rarely reported. Hypothesis: The prognosis of feline visceral HSA is poor because of severe clinical signs, anemia, and a high rate of metastasis. Animals: The medical records of 26 client‐owned cats with visceral HSA were reviewed. Methods: Multi‐institutional retrospective study. Results: The most common historical findings and clinical signs included lethargy, anorexia, respiratory difficulty, collapse, and vocalizing. Eighty‐two percent of cats were anemic, and aspartate transaminase was increased in 53% of the study population. Metastatic lung disease was noted in 33% of affected cats. In 75% of the cats, abdominal ultrasonography identified a specific location of HSA. However, ultrasound identification of all multifocal lesions was successful only in 3/9 cats (33%). Tumor location was identified in the following organs: liver (35%), small intestine (31%), large intestine (31%), abdominal lymph node (31%), mesentery (27%), spleen (23%), lung (19%), omentum (12%), brain (8%), pancreas (8%), and diaphragm (8%). Multifocal HSA was noted in 77% of cats. Three cats received adjuvant chemotherapy (doxorubicin). Seventy‐one percent of euthanized cats were euthanized within 1 day of diagnosis. The median survival time of the remaining cats (n = 6) was 77 days (range, 23–296 days). Conclusion and Clinical Importance: Feline visceral HSA is most often multifocal at the time of diagnosis. The prognosis appears poor, and the number of cats receiving chemotherapy is low.